12 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of mucli greater value than the small, slow-maturing, fuie- 

 woolled flocks of our fathers. The times and fashions have 

 so changed, that sheep-husbandry now offers much greater 

 advantages than in former days. The manufacture of woollen 

 fabrics, then a fitful and difficult trade, is now one of the 

 largest and most securely established industries. The de- 

 mand for wool is not limited to the fine staple : the manu- 

 facture of blankets, carpets, flannels, and nearly all the 

 goods used for men's wear, demand the long-staple, coarse 

 wools, such as are produced by heavy, mutton sheep. The 

 averasfe weight of a fleece is now double what it was on the 

 small sheep, and the price of coarse wool is higher than 

 the best Merino or Saxony was in 1840. 



Then the average value of sheep was one dollar and fifty- 

 seven cents, and the lambs about the same ; now the average 

 value of sheep is about five dollars, and lambs may be calcu- 

 lated at from eight to ten dollars. Increased population, 

 large markets in our manufacturing districts demanding vast 

 supplies of meat, and facilities for transportation from every 

 part of the Commonwealth have so changed all the condi- 

 tions of sheep-husbandry, that no more profitable business 

 can offer to our farmers. 



Dairying withdraws rapidly from the soil the elements of 

 fertility that have to be continually replaced ; but the sheep 

 enriches the pasture, and sweet grasses spring under his fer- 

 tilizing feet. 



POULTRY. 



At the various fairs the exhibitions of fowls were very 

 large, the competition for premiums keen, and there was 

 much interest on the part of spectators. 



The passion for breeding game-chickens, so prevalent a 

 few 3'ears ago, was an absurdity in a country where cock- 

 fighting is forbidden by law, and the time and capital of 

 breeders seems now to be given to the more useful families 

 of fowls. The aggregate value of poultry and eggs raised 

 by our farmers amounted, in 1875, to — 



Poultry $263,305 



Eggs 903.357 



$1,106,752 



